National Games of India: A Comprehensive Overview

The National Games of India began as the Indian Olympic Games in 1924 in Lahore (now in Pakistan) to select athletes for the 1924 Paris Olympics, organized by the provisional Indian Olympic Association (IOA). Held biennially, they were renamed the National Games in 1940 during the 9th edition in Bombay. The modern format, aligned with Olympic-style events, started in 1985 in New Delhi, emphasizing broader sports development. The games are intended to occur every two years, except in years of Olympic or Asian Games, but delays (e.g., natural calamities, funding issues) have led to irregular intervals, with gaps of 3–7 years in recent decades.

Countries Where the National Games Are Held

The National Games are exclusively held in India, with no international participation, as they are a domestic competition for Indian states and union territories. Since 1924, 15 states and union territories have hosted the games across multiple cities:

Host States/Union Territories and Cities

Key Notes:

• Delhi (5 times) and Punjab (pre-partition, 4 times) have hosted most frequently. Maharashtra, Kerala, and Karnataka have hosted twice in the modern era.
• The 2024 Beach Games in Diu marked the first standalone beach event.
• Future editions: The 39th National Games are planned for 2027 in Chhattisgarh.

Which Games (Sports) Are Included?

The National Games feature a wide range of sports, blending Olympic disciplines, indigenous games, and modern additions. The 2025 Uttarakhand National Games included 35 sports with 441 events, reflecting the diversity of Indian sports culture:

Sports in 2025 National Games

1. Aquatics (Swimming, Diving, Water Polo)
2. Archery
3. Athletics
4. Badminton
5. Basketball
6. Boxing
7. Canoeing
8. Cycling
9. Fencing
10. Football
11. Gymnastics
12. Handball
13. Hockey
14. Judo
15. Kabaddi
16. Kho-Kho
17. Lawn Tennis
18. Netball
19. Rowing
20. Rugby
21. Shooting
22. Squash
23. Table Tennis
24. Taekwondo
25. Triathlon
26. Volleyball
27. Weightlifting
28. Wrestling
29. Wushu
30. Yogasana
31. Mallakhamb
32. Modern Pentathlon
33. Roll Ball
34. Sqay
35. Tug of War

Winter National Games Sports

1. Alpine Skiing
2. Cross-Country Skiing
3. Figure Skating
4. Ice Hockey
5. Speed Skating

Beach National Games Sports (2024 Diu)

1. Beach Volleyball
2. Beach Kabaddi
3. Beach Football
4. Beach Handball
5. Coastal Rowing

Key Notes:

• Indigenous sports like kabaddi, kho-kho, yogasana, mallakhamb, and sqay reflect India’s cultural heritage, promoted in recent editions.
• Yogasana and mallakhamb were added to align with traditional Indian disciplines.
• Winter Games focus on snow and ice sports, limited by India’s geography, hosted in Himalayan regions.
• Beach Games introduced coastal sports to diversify the format.

Which Events Occurred in the Past but Are Not Now?

• Discontinued Events:
  • Tent Pegging (early editions, pre-1985): An equestrian sport, discontinued due to low participation and logistical challenges.
  • Polo (pre-1985): Removed due to limited state participation and high costs.
  • Billiards/Snooker (select editions, e.g., 1985–1994): Dropped due to inconsistent inclusion and focus on Olympic-aligned sports.
  • Carrom (select editions, pre-2000): Excluded as it was deemed less competitive in a multi-sport context.
  • Softball (1994–2002): Discontinued due to low national popularity and lack of infrastructure.
  • Baseball (1994): Included briefly but dropped due to minimal participation.
• Current Additions:
  • Yogasana (2015–present): Added to promote India’s traditional yoga practice.
  • Mallakhamb (2015–present): A traditional gymnastic sport, gaining prominence.
  • Roll Ball (2022–present): A fast-paced skating sport, added for youth appeal.
  • Modern Pentathlon (2022–present): Introduced to align with Olympic disciplines.
  • Tug of War (2022–present): Reintroduced as a team-building sport.
  • Rugby (2007–present): Gained traction as a growing sport in India.

Key Notes: Discontinued sports were often dropped due to low participation, high costs, or lack of Olympic relevance. Indigenous sports have been prioritized since 2015 to promote cultural identity.

Till Now, India’s Position

As a domestic event, India is the sole participating nation, with states and union territories competing for the overall championship. The Services Sports Control Board (Services), representing armed forces, has dominated recent editions, followed by states like Maharashtra, Haryana, and Punjab. Below is the recent medal tally trend:

Recent National Games Winners

Key Notes:

• Services won 5 of the last 7 editions (2007–2025), leveraging disciplined training and athlete recruitment from across India.
• Host states often rank high due to larger contingents (e.g., Andhra Pradesh in 2002, Kerala in 1987, Manipur in 1999).
• Maharashtra and Haryana consistently rank in the top 3, reflecting strong sports infrastructure.
• In 2025, Services won with 159 gold medals, followed by Maharashtra (78) and Haryana (61), per IOA reports.

Members (Participating States/Union Territories) with Website Links

The National Games involve 37 states and union territories (as of 2025), coordinated by their respective state sports associations or Olympic associations under the IOA. Below is a list with links to state sports/Olympic associations (where available):

• Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Andaman and Nicobar Olympic Association
• Andhra Pradesh: Andhra Pradesh Olympic Association
• Arunachal Pradesh: Arunachal Olympic Association
• Assam: Assam Olympic Association
• Bihar: Bihar Olympic Association
• Chandigarh: Chandigarh Olympic Association
• Chhattisgarh: Chhattisgarh Olympic Association
• Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu: DNH & DD Olympic Association
• Delhi: Delhi Olympic Association
• Goa: Goa Olympic Association
• Gujarat: Gujarat State Olympic Association
• Haryana: Haryana Olympic Association
• Himachal Pradesh: Himachal Pradesh Olympic Association
• Jammu and Kashmir: J&K Olympic Association
• Jharkhand: Jharkhand Olympic Association
• Karnataka: Karnataka Olympic Association
• Kerala: Kerala Olympic Association
• Ladakh: Ladakh Olympic Association
• Lakshadweep: Lakshadweep Olympic Association
• Madhya Pradesh: Madhya Pradesh Olympic Association
• Maharashtra: Maharashtra Olympic Association
• Manipur: Manipur Olympic Association
• Meghalaya: Meghalaya Olympic Association
• Mizoram: Mizoram Olympic Association
• Nagaland: Nagaland Olympic Association
• Odisha: Odisha Olympic Association
• Puducherry: Puducherry Olympic Association
• Punjab: Punjab Olympic Association
• Rajasthan: Rajasthan Olympic Association
• Sikkim: Sikkim Olympic Association
• Tamil Nadu: Tamil Nadu Olympic Association
• Telangana: Telangana Olympic Association
• Tripura: Tripura Olympic Association
• Uttar Pradesh: Uttar Pradesh Olympic Association
• Uttarakhand: Uttarakhand Olympic Association
• West Bengal: West Bengal Olympic Association
• Services Sports Control Board: Services Sports Control Board

Notes:

• Links are sourced from the IOA website (olympic.ind.in) or state Olympic association pages as of October 24, 2025.
• Some states/union territories (e.g., Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep) lack dedicated websites; links redirect to the IOA’s state association directory.
• Services Sports Control Board, representing armed forces, is a unique entity, consistently dominating due to centralized training.

All Games in National Games: Regulatory Bodies and Official Links (National/International)

Each sport is governed by a national sports federation under the IOA, affiliated with international federations for Olympic-aligned sports. Below is a list of sports from the 2025 National Games, Winter Games, and Beach Games, with their regulatory bodies and links (national: India; international).

Notes:

• Links are current as of October 24, 2025, sourced from IOA (olympic.ind.in) and international federation websites.
• For sports like canoeing, gymnastics, netball, triathlon, modern pentathlon, and sqay, where dedicated Indian federation websites are unavailable, the Sports Authority of India (sportsauthorityofindia.nic.in) is referenced.
• Indigenous sports (kabaddi, kho-kho, yogasana, mallakhamb, sqay, roll ball) have dedicated Indian federations, reflecting cultural focus.
• Winter and beach sports are governed by specialized bodies (e.g., Winter Games Federation of India, Ice Skating Association of India).